A progressive voice from the Carolinas, featuring views, news, and dialogue that the corporate media doesn't. In the Mountains of Western North Carolina, Mills River is a rural community about 20 minutes from Asheville.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Other Uses for Wall Street Bonuses

Well, you'll be pleased to hear that in spite of our economy, rampant unemployment, municipal shortfalls, and record mortgage failures, the Wall Street players have seen their bonuses increase by 17% over last year. Even better, the movers and shakers at the top three investment banks saw their booty jump by 31% this year. You know, the banks we bailed out with OUR TAX DOLLARS? I'm sure this must be a big load off your mind - gawd knows I was losing sleep, fretting over how these struggling millionaire grifters were making out. I mean, what if they had to sell the house in the Hamptons and the one in the Keys?Egads. Frightful!Anyhow, back in reality land where the rest of us dwell, that kind of money could fund quite a few desperately needed supports and services for citizens - you know, us taxpaying drones who fund the whole mess. For example, do you realize that the 20 billion scored this year on Wall Street bonuses would pay the salaries of 390,000 public school teachers? And just about eliminate California's budget shortfall? Wait, there's more!

3 Comments:

You're right, Peter, because Wall Street and the banking cartel run the show. The puppet master decides when, and where, the puppets will dance. Our government leaders have strings attached, although not to us, the electorate.

I can't help but think there must be some way to make it mandatory that if these fucktards are going to avoid taxes, accept corporate welfare, and then tighten their purse strings and not loan us $$ to invest in real estate, and rewrite their credit card lending contracts to avoid the new laws, etc... well, can't they be obligated by law to funnel all of that money into places that need it? Social justice non-profits, food banks, after school programs, public schools, public libraries, local organic farms and community gardens, grants for poor kids to attend college, et al, ad infinitum.

You don't want to invest in everyone's well-being? Okay, you need to reinvest in the economy in such a way that you do it, then.

I think that's the sound of a lead balloon I hear, trying to get off the ground.

“In the councils of government we must guard against
the acquisition of power, whether sought or unsought,
by the military industrial complex.
The potential for the disastrous rise of misplaced power exists and will persist.
We must never let the weight of this combination endanger our liberties and democratic processes.”

Dwight D. Eisenhower
from his final address to the nation
January 17, 1961

If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issuance of their currency, first by inflation and then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all their property until their children will wake up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.
--Thomas Jefferson